Apparatus for charging blast-furnaces.



No. 770,111. PATBNTBD SEPT. 13, 1904.

- W. R. RBEGE.

- APPARATUS FOR GHARGING BLAST FURNAGES.

yAPPLIoATIoN FILED 111:0. 20, 1003.

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'PATENTED SEPT. 13, i904.

l W. P. RPPGP. APPARATUS P0P CHARGING BLAST PUPNAGES.

APPLICATION FILED DEO. 26. 1903.

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UNITED STATES Patented September 13, 1904.

PATENT CEEICE.

WALTER R. REECE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TC CLARENCE vW. CCFFMAN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYL- l VANIA.

APPARATUS FOR CHARGING BLAST-FURNAQES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 770,111, datedSeptember 13, 1904.

Application filed December 26, 1903. Serial No. 186,719. (No model.)

T all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, VVALTEE R. REECE, of Pittsburg, in the county of'Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Blast-Furnaces; and I dohereby declare -the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichI0 it appertains to make and use the same.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved chargingdevice which will insure an even distribution of the charg'e within ablast-furnace.

A further object is to so construct a charging device of this characteras to form a seal against the escape of gas during the introduction of acharge.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional viewshowing the charging end of a blast-furnace with my improvements. Fig. 2is a cross-section on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectionalview through the casing, with the charging-valves in plan view.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the upper. portion of ablast-furnace having a charging-casing 2, the lower end whereof isnormally closed by a bell 3, having an upwardly-extended controlling-rod4. In an upper extension 5 of this casing are the charging-wheel valves6, mounted on axles 7, extended through the parallel walls of the casingextension and suitably supported, said axles having two worm-wheels S,meshing with a worm-shaft 9, driven by a chain and 40 sprocket-wheel 10.Each of these wheelvalves is diametrically divided by blades 12 intofour separate pockets, and the two valves being correspondingly mounted,so as to work in unison, two opposite pockets will be coincident toreceive the charge between them, the horizontally-disposed blades of thetwo pockets forming the bottom support of the charge, while the twoopposite vertically-disposed blades, together with the circular sides ofthe valves and the curved walls of the casing extension, coniine thecharge within such pockets. The wheel-valves form a practicallygas-tight fit against the walls of the casing extension and likewise atthe meeting-points of their peripheries. The several blades are formedwith central cut-outs to form when coincident `openings 13 toaccommodate rod 4.

Immediately above the charging-valves to one side is a hopper 14, intowhich the skipcar (indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2) discharges itsload. The inner end of this hopper is normally closed by a flap-valve15, pivotally hung, so as to occupy a vertical position against theinner end of the hopperthat is, in vertical line with one of the sidewalls of the casing extension. This valve forms an additional guardagainst. the escape of gas when the bell is unseated for theintroduction of the charge to the furnace. The top 17 of the casingextension is carried obliquely across and above the valves inparallelism to the bottom of the hopper and is formed with an openingfor the passage of the bell-actuating rod 4.

In practice the two wheel-valves, being always on quarter-turn, will,save when being moved to empty a charge into the chargingcasing, presenttwo opposite pockets to receive the charge from the hopper, such chargeforcing the flap-valve 15 to one side. The bell 3 being seated, thewheel-valves are given a quarter-turn, so as to discharge the contentsof the two pockets directly against the apex of the bell, and thusinsure an even distribution of the charge at every point, first aroundthe bell and later within the furnace when the bell has been unseated.When this latter occurs, the gas and portions of the charge areprevented from escaping by the seal presented by the wheel-valves andthe flap-valves. As one set of pockets is being moved to discharge'itscontents another set is approaching position to receive a fresh chargefrom another skip-car emptying into the hopper. `It will be noted thatby my invention the charge begins to fall from the pockets the momentthe wheel -valves are moved sufficiently to separate the oppositehorizontal blades, which being at the center and directly over the apexof the bell insure an even distribution, the advantage thereof beinggained within the furnace when the bell is ,unseated It is obvious thatchanges may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

I claim as my inventionl. A blast-furnace-charging apparatus comprisinga casing having curved walls and two axially-mounted valves movabletoward each other, each valve fitting against said curved walls andhaving a plurality of pockets, opposite coinciding portions of the twovalves forming the bottoms of coinciding pockets.

2. A blast-furnace-charging apparatus comprising a casing having curvedwalls and two axially-mounted valves movable toward each other, eachvalve fitting against the said curved walls and having a plurality of,pockets, opposite coinciding portions of the two valves forming thebottoms of coinciding pockets, a bell beneath said valves, and anactuating-rod therefor, said valves being' designed to discharge againstthe apex of said bell.

3. A blast-furnace-charging apparatus comprising a casing having anupper extension formed with curved walls, a bell for normally closingthe lower end of such casing,and two conjointly-operatingaxially-mounted charging devices in said extension fitting against saidcurved walls and movable toward each other for discharging against theapex of said bell, said devices having opposite corresponding portionsforming the bottoms of coinciding pockets.

4. A blast-furnace-charging apparatus comprising a casing having' anupper extension formed with curved walls, a bell for normally closingthe lower end of such casing, rotary wheel-valves mounted within saidextension and fitting against said curved walls, each of said valvesbeing divided into pockets, opposite portions of the two valves formingthe bottoms of coinciding pockets, and means for turning such valves.

5. A blast-furnace-charging apparatus comprising a casing having anupper extension, a bell for normally closing the lower end of suchcasing. rotary wheel valves mounted within said extension, theperipheries of the two valves being designed to contact above the apexof the bell, each of said valves having a series of dividing-bladesforming separate pockets, said blades having central cutouts, and thebell-actuating rod passed between said valves, as set forth.

6. The combination with the charging-casing, and the bell-at the lowerend thereof, of the hopper, a flap-valve over the inner end thereof, andtwo rotary valves having pockets, opposite portions of the two valvesforming the sides and bottoms of coinciding pockets, said sides beingdesigned to coincide with said hopper, as set forth.

7. The combination with the charging-casing and the bell, of the hopper,the flap-valve over the inner end thereof, the two wheelvalves havingdiametrically-arranged blades, opposite blades of the two valves formingthe bottoms of pockets formed by the two valves, worm-wheels on theaxles of said wheel-valves, and a worm-shaft in mesh with saidwormwheels, as set forth.

1n testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

WALTER R. REECE. Witnesses:

C. W. CoFFuAN, J. A. JOHNSON.

